This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
After a very Friday-like Thursday slate that featured 12 games, we're down to a much more modestly sized five-game ledger tonight. While that affords us a pretty solid player pool overall, there are several big names populating the injury report that affect the upper tier of options.
Slate Overview
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Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Friday, Dec. 19 @12:00 p.m. EST:
Miami Heat at Boston Celtics (-6.5) (O/U: 230.5)
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks (-4.5) (O/U: 228.5)
San Antonio Spurs (-3) at Atlanta Hawks (O/U: 240.5)
Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers (-7) (O/U: 240.5)
Oklahoma City Thunder (-7) at Minnesota Timberwolves (O/U: 233.5)
We have a very encouraging betting picture overall to work with Friday, as there are no double-digit favorites (or even close to one) and the projected totals all portend plenty of strong individual performances to varying degree. The pair of 240-point-plus figures are especially enticing, and the best overall game environment of the night may well turn out to be the Spurs-Hawks tilt, even with Trae Young ruled out for Atlanta.
Injury Situations to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Donovan Mitchell, CLE (illness): QUESTIONABLE (UPDATE: NOW RULED OUT)
If Mitchell can't suit up, Lonzo Ball and Craig Porter may handle most of the shooting guard minutes, while the remainder of the starting five will see significant increase in usage.
Anthony Edwards, MIN (foot): QUESTIONABLE
If Edwards can't play, Bones Hyland could draw another spot start, while the likes of Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels could be set for more opportunity.
Joel Embiid, PHI (illness): QUESTIONABLE
If Embiid can't play, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George figure to be the biggest beneficiaries, while Andre Drummond will likely draw a spot start.
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Towns is sidelined, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby will also benefit from more opportunity, while Mitchell Robinson will be due for a spot start.
Trae Young, ATL (knee/injury management): OUT
In Young's confirmed absence, Nickeil Alexander-Walker should start at point guard, while Jalen Johnson will continue to see a significant usage increase.
Other notable injuries:
Evan Mobley, CLE (calf): OUT
Kelly Oubre, PHI (knee): OUT
Kristaps Porzingis, ATL (illness): OUT
Tyler Herro, MIA (toe): QUESTIONABLE
Isaiah Hartenstein, OKC (rest): QUESTIONABLE
OG Anunoby, NYK (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Josh Hart, NYK (abdomen): QUESTIONABLE
Tre Jones, CHI (hamstring): QUESTIONABLE
Ayo Dosunmu, CHI (thumb): QUESTIONABLE
Elite Players
We have four players with five-figure salaries on Friday's slate – Victor Wembanyama ($11,800), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,700), Jalen Johnson ($10,600) and Tyrese Maxey ($10,400).
Wembanyama will continue coming off the bench Friday as his ramp-up from a long absence continues, but he's delivered 39.8 and 40.6 FD points in that role his first two games back.
SGA just went off for 60.4 FD points against the Clippers on Thursday night and hung 64.2 FD points on the Timberwolves when he most recently saw them Nov. 26.
Johnson will be taking the floor without Trae Young and just racked up 71.4 FD points against the Hornets on Thursday with Young available on limited minutes.
Maxey may be operating without Joel Embiid on Friday and should be refreshed coming off a two-game absence due to illness.
Go to RotoWire's NBA Daily Starting Lineups and NBA News for up-to-the-minute information!
Expected Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($9,900)
Brown has seen a significant salary bump due to averaging 53.6 FD points in his last nine games, but that still makes him a potentia bargain on a point-per-dollar basis Friday.
Donovan Mitchell, CLE ($9,700)
If Mitchell is cleared to play through his illness, he should retain his usual level of popularity, especially with Evan Mobley sidelined.
Josh Giddey, CHI ($9,600)
Giddey has scored over 50 FD points in two of his last three games and always carries that level of upside, which should keep him very popular on the smallish slate.
Jalen Brunson, NYK ($9,400)
Brunson may play without KAT once again Friday, which, when combined with the fact he's scored over 41 FD points in six straight games, should ensure he's on plenty of rosters.
Paul George, PHI ($7,300)
George could prove to be quite the value at his salary after averaging 36 FD points in his last four games, and he'll have even more appeal if Embiid is eventually ruled out.
Key Values
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, ATL vs. SAN ($6,000)
Alexander-Walker is due for another spot start Friday with Trae Young already ruled out on the second night of a back-to-back set. NAW remains productive Thursday in Young's limited return, tallying 37.6 FD points on the strength of a 28-point tally over 34 minutes against the Hornets. The talented guard had averaged 35 FD points during his 16-game starting tenure before Thursday, a stretch where he shot a blistering 41.9 percent from behind the arc. The Spurs' perimeter defense has been spotty – they're allowing 37.1% three-point shooting – and they're also surrendering 51.1 FD points per game to PGs in the last seven.
Devin Vassell, SAN at ATL ($5,900)
Vassell continues to provide steady production out of his starting small forward role, now averaging 31.8 FD points over his last 14 games via a well-rounded 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per contest. Vassell is also shooting an elite 44.4 percent from behind the arc during that span, and he'll once again serve as an integral piece of San Antonio's attack in what could be the best game environment of the night. Atlanta has been reasonably effective at limiting long-range shooting most of the season, but the Hawks are conceding a 44.5 percent success rate from deep in the last three and allowing an Eastern Conference-high 50.5 FD points per contest to small forwards in the last 15 games.
Ajay Mitchell, OKC at MIN ($5,100)
Mitchell has some ups and downs in his production, but he enters Friday on the right track with an average of 29.8 FD points over his last three contests. The reserve guard is clocking a solid 24 minutes off the bench in that sample, and he's at an even more robust 26.3 per game for the season. Mitchell also has a hot hand at the moment with 50.0 percent shooting overall and from three-point range in the aforementioned small three-game sample, and he should have ample opportunity Friday to deliver at least a 5x return on his current salary for the 20th time in 28 games.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jaylon Tyson, CLE vs. CHI ($6,000); Jarrett Allen, CLE vs. CHI ($6,100)
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